Signal device for motor-vehicles



R. B. BENJAMIN.

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1914.RENEWED OCT. 13. 1919.

1,336,609, Patented Apr 13, 1920.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1. 1 3 Z6 Ir II I Zia/3231565 Z 7 jig 2023 3 SHEETS-SHEET2.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

jaw/2Z7" R. B. BENJAMIN.

SIGNAL DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 1914.RENEWED OCT. 13, 1919.

HI! I! In a M 4 $0M:

R. B. BENJAMIN. SIGNAL DEVICE FOR MOTOR VTHICLES. APPLICATION FILEDSEPT. 10, 1914. RENEWED ocr. 13, 1919.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

M E g HIIII 1 l|lIi!!IlIllllllllllll ll NKTED @FFiliT/ii.

REUBEN B. BENJ'AIMIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNCR TO BENJAMINELEGTRIQ MANUFACTURING JUMP/ANY, SF CHICAGO, ILLINQIS. A COBPORATIGN OFILLE- SIGNAL DEVICE FER MOTCR-VEHIGLESE Application filed September 10,1914, Serial No. 361,915.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that l, REUBEN B. BENJA- MIN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Signal Devicesfor Motor- Vehicles, of which the following is a full, clear, concise,and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing,forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to signal devices for motor vehicles.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved devicewhereby the driver or occupant of the vehicle may cause to be displayedat the rear of the vehicle a signal which will indicate the intention ofthe driver to turn to the right or left or to stop.

A further object or my invention is to provide an improved devicewhereby the application of the brake to stop or retard the vehicle willcause an appropriate signal to be made.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved devicewhereby when the signal has been moved to a position in which it isdisplayed it will be automatically held in this position for anappreciable length of time and then returned.

Uther objects will appear from the detailed description to follow.

In the drawings; in which I have illustrated one embodiment of myinvention;

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation on the line 11 of Fig. 2, showing thelamp bulb, the rotatable globe inclosing the bulb, and the aperturedhousing for the globe;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the signal device showing the relativeposition of the lamp, number plate and stop signal, and showing also thedelayed return mechanism for the right and left signal device;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the signal device, parts being broken away toshow details of a dash pot mechanism constituting part. of the delayedreturn mechanism;

Fig. at is a diagrammatic view showing the relation of the signal deviceand its operating means to a motor vehicle;

Fig. 5 is a development of the rotatable globe; and r Fig. 6 is an enlared sectional detail of the dash pot mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, reference char- Specification of LettersPatent.

Renewed October 13, 1919. Serial No. 330,530.

actor 10 indicates a base adapted to be secured to the rear lamp post ofan automobile by means of clamps 11. A bracket 12 having a substantiallycircular head and flange 1 1 is attached to the base 10 by means of capscrev-Js 153. ii cylindrical casing 16 oi sheet metal having an upperopening 17 to permit the illumination oi the stop signal, a lower openig 18 to permit illumination of the number plate, hnd a rear opening 19through which the right and left signal. devices are displayed. issecured to the head 13 against the flange ll by means of screws 20. Thehead 13 within the casing 16 has a reduced bearing portion 21, as shownin Fig. 1, on which is rotatably secured by of a flanged bushing 21" asupporting ring 22 having a threaded portion 23. A. globe 24; is carriedby the ring 22 being secured thereto by means of a shell 25 havingflange portion 26 engaging a flange 27 on the globe and having athreaded portion 28 engaging the threaded portion 28 of the ring.Suitably disposed n the globe 2dare a pair of arrows 29 and 30, one ofwhich, when the sig vice is in position on the vehicle, points to theright, and the other to the 1 shown in Fig. These arrows are pre ablyformed of translucent red material. either by coating part of thesurface of the globe 2d with such mater'al or by making part of theglob-e of coloed material.

The narrow strip of the globe between a translucent red coating or rmedtranslucent red material. The remaining portions of the globe aretransparent t permit the illumination of the number plate and stopsignal.

In the drawing l have shown each arrow, and also the narrow striptherebetween, as extending over substantially 50 cit the surface of theglobe, the center lines of the two arrows thus being 120 apart. ll ithinthe globe is lamp bulb 31 carried by a tubular support 82 secured to thehead 18 by means of a clamping ring 83 and screws 341. Conducting wires35 lead from the lamp through the support 32 and through an opening 36in the head 13 to any suitably located source of current. The end of thecasing 16 opposite the head 13 is flosed by means of a plate 37 of shesmetal held in place within the bead 38 by a spring ring 39.

This end of the casing 16 is secured to the base 10 by means of a band40 of sheet metal surrounding the casing and secured to a lug 41extending from the base 10 by means of screws 42.

The means for controlling the movement of the rotatable globe 24 willnow be described.

The rotatable ring 22 which carries the globe has extending therefromand formed integral therewith an arm 43 connected by means of a link 44,bell crank lever 45, link 46, lever 47 and line 48, with an arm 49secured to a shaft 50 rotatably mounted in bearings 51 on the steeringpost 52 of an automobile and having secured thereto an operating lever53, as shown in Fig. 4. moving the lever 53 to the right or left the arm43 is moved up or down and one or the other of the arrows 29 or isdisplayed through the opening 19 in the casing 16, the arrangementpreferably being such that when the lever 53 is moved to the right thearrow pointing to the right will be displayed.

In order that it may not be necessary for the driver to hold the lever53 in the position to which it has been moved until the turn indicatedhas been made, means are provided whereby after the globe 24 has beenrotated to a position in which one of the arrows is displayed it will beautomatically held in this position for an appreciable length of timesufiicient to allow the turn indicated to be made andwill then bereleased and turned to a position in which neither of the arrows isdisplayed. This means will now be described.

An arm 54 having a hub portion 54, an off-set portion 55, a lug 56 andan arcuate boss 57, is pivotally mounted on a pin 58 on the head 13 andis connected with the lever 43 to move therewith by means of a screw 59.The arm 54, and with it the arm 43 and globe 24, are normally held intheir middle position in which the arms 43 and 54 are horizontal andneither arrow is displayed, by means of a spring 60 comprising a coiledportion 61 surrounding the hub 54 and a pair of arms 62 normallyengaging opposlte sides of the off-set portion 55 of the arm 54 and alsonormally engaging opposite sides of a lug 63 projecting from the head13, the tension of the spring being such that the arms 62 tend to movetoward each other. Latch members 64 pivotally mounted on the head 13 andhaving hook portions 65 for engagement with the lug 56, carry pins 66which work in slots 67 in the links 68. Springs 69 tend to hold the pins66 at the inner ends of the slots. The links 68 are both connected b acommon pivot pin 70 to a plunger 71 working in an opening 72 in a boss73 on the head 13, the boss being recessed at 74 to expose the plungerto permit the connection of the links 68 therewith.

One end 75 of the plunger extends outward from the opening 72 and has arounded portion 76 in a position to be engaged by a pair of cam members77, pivotally secured to the boss 57 by means of pins 78, said membershaving arms 79 extending therefrom, the arms having bent over ends 80 toengage the boss 57 to limit the pivotal movement of the cams. i

A spring 81 connects the arms 79 and tends to hold the ends 80 inengagement with the boss 57; the other end of the plunger 71 is providedwith a head 82 which engages a spring diaphragm 83 formed of sheetmetal. A diaphragm 84 of sheet metal is secured to the diaphragm 83 byhaving its edges crimped over the edge of the diaphragm 83 to form anair tight connection therewith. The diaphragm 84 is dished slightly sothat an air chamber is formed between the two diaphragms. Bothdiaphragms are held in place in a recess 85 in the bracket 12 by meansof a dust-proof cap 86 secured to the bracket 12 by means of screws 87.A tubular member 88 is secured in a central opening 89 in the diaphragm84, the end 90 of the tubular member being flanged over the edge of theopening to form an air tight connection with the diaphragm. The member88 has an annular portion 91 forming a valve seat for a ball check valve92, normally held against the seat by a spring 93 held in place by a pin94 extending through the tubular member. Extending through the side ofthe tubular member is a restricted opening 95. A screw 96 having areduced portion 97 is threaded into an opening 98 in the side of thetubular member opposite the opening 95. The screw 96 may be adjusted inor out to restrict more or less the flow of air through the opening 95.

The operation of this delayed return mech anism is as follows:

Assume that the lever 53 is so actuated that the arm 43 is moved upwardto the dot-' ted line position shown in Fig. 2. During the first part ofthis movement the lower one of the cams 77 will engage the rounded end76 of the plunger 71 causing it to move inward against the springpressure of the spring diaphragm 83, the diaphragm 83 being forcedinwardly and the air between the diaphragms 83 and 84 being forced outpast the spring pressed ball check valve 92. This inward movement of theplunger 71 causes an inward movement of the links 68 and the latches 64,the hooks 65 being moved to a position in which they lie in the path ofthe lug 56. The upward movement of the arm 43 causes an upward movementof the upper spring arm 68, because of its en-' gagement with theoff-set portion 55 of said arm, the lower sprlng arm 62 being, however,held agalnst movement, because of its engagement with the lug 63 on thehead 13. As the arm 43 continues its upward movement the cam '77 ridesoff from the rounded portion 7 6 whereupon the plunger 71 moves slowlyupward because of the spring pressure of the diaphragm 83, the movementbeing retarded because of the difference in pressure between atmosphericair and the air in the chamber between the diaphragms 88 and 8%, due tothe restriction of the flow of air through the opening 95 and past thevalve 9?, the check valve 92 preventing a return" flow past it. As thearm 43 continues to move the lug 56 engages the upper hook 65 whichstill lies in its path and forces it outward against the action of thespring 69 until the lug passes the hook when the latter snaps over thelug, due to the action of the spring 69 and holds the arm as in itsraised position in which position one of the arrows 29 or 30 will bedisplayed through the opening 19.

After the hook 65 has engaged over the lug 56 the driver may release thelever 53, but the signal will continue to be displayed until the returnmovement of the plunger 71 causes the links 68 and latches 6% to moveoutward to cause the hook 65 to release the lug 56, when the upperspring arm 62, acting on the off-set portion 55 of the arm l3, will turnthe latter and also the globe 24; to their normal mid position in whichneither arrow on the globe is displayed. On the return movement of thearm as the cam 7'? rides over the rounded end 76 of the plunger withoutcausing an inward movement of the plunger, the spring 81 yielding topermit this operation. A similar operation takes place when the lever 53is so actuated that the arm as is moved downward. The screw 96 may be soadjusted that the release of the signal device to allow it to return toits mid position will be delayed long enough to allow the turn to bemade in the direction indicated before the device is released.

It will be noted that in the normal position of the signal device thenarrow strip of the globe between the arrows (which strip and arrows, aspreviously stated, are preferably red and translucent) will be displayedso that at night a red rear light will be displayed no matter in whatposition the signal device is placed. A stop signal plate 99 is securedto a shaft 100 rotatably mountd in bearings 101 on the base 10. An arm102 secured at one end of the shaft 100 is connected by means of a link103, bell crank lever 104:, and link 105 with an arm 106 secured to ashaft 107 actuated by the brake lever 108 of an automobile, as shown inFig. 4:, the arrangement being such that the movement of the brake leverto apply the brake to stop or retard the vehicle will cause the signalplate to be raised from the horizontal position shown in dotted lines inFig. 3 and in full lines in Fig. i in which it intercepts the light fromthe opening 17 in the lamp casing to the vertical position shown in fulllines in Figs. 1 and 3 and in dotted lines in Fig. 4, in which the stopsignal will be displayed and which, at night, will be illuminated fromthe lamp 31 through the opening 17.

It is obvious that electric or pneumatic actuators controlled by theoccupant of the vehicle may be substituted for the mechanicalconnections for both the stop signal and the right and left signal. Itis obvious, also, that means ma be provided whereby the movement of thesteering wheel to a predetermined degree in one direction or the otherwill cause the lever 58 to be actuated and the right or left signaldisplayed.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. Signal means for vehicles comprising alamp, a casing surrounding said lamp having upper and rear openingstherein, a rotat-ably mounted globe within the casing and inclosing thelamp, said globe having two devices thereon indicating right and leftrespectively movable alternately to a position between the lamp and rearopening, and stop signal plate pivoted adjacent said upper opening andmovable from a horizontal position in which it intercepts the light fromsaid upper opening to a ver tical position in which it is illuminated bythe light from said opening.

2. A signal device for vehicles comprising a bearing member, a ringrotatably mounted on said bearing member, a lamp-globe detachablysecured to said ring, and means for supporting a lamp in said globe.

3. A signal device for vehicles comprising a bearing and supportingmember, a ring rotatably mounted on said member, a lampreceptaclesupported by said member, and a lamp-globe surrounding said receptacleand detachably secured to said ring member.

4:. A vehicle signal comprising member mounted for movement in adefinite path, a movable latch member located in the path of movement ofsaid first member and moved thereby, for engaging and detaining saidfirst member, time-controlled means for actuating said latch to releasesaid member, and power means for returning said first member to normalposition.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two witnesses.

- REUBEN B. BENJAMIN. Witnesses llLtAnGARnT THIELEN, ANNE SOLOMON.

